The House voted today to authorize a new “community forest trust” which proponents say will help relieve some of the pressure on urban forest lands by creating a new tool for the Department of Natural Resources.
Speaking against ESHB 1421, Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, said that DNR already had the ability to deal with these issues through the trust land transfer program and raised issues about how much the new trust will cost the state and local governments.
DNR worked with the WSSDA Trust Lands Task Force to ensure that the department’s fiduciary responsibility was maintained as their top priority for school trust lands, along with incorporating other concerns. The Task Force adopted a “neutral but watch” position.
The bill passed 55-43.
Updates on the Legislature and state government from the Washington State School Directors' Association.
